The recently released COAG report Tracking equity: Comparing outcomes for women and girls across Australia, reported that at school girls generally do better than boys. Women are more likely than men to obtain a bachelor degree but they are still paid on average 17.5% less than men and are less likely to be in a senior position. COAG Reform Council Chairman, John Brumby called this a ‘baffling contrast’. But is it a baffling contrast or is it the obvious effect of wilful gender blindness and valuing short term financial gain over gender equity?
Lower pay and fewer workforce opportunities translate into women being less economically secure, having less superannuation in retirement and being far more prone to poverty and homelessness throughout their life. It is a situation that is unfair and discriminatory and a slap in the face to Australia’s own values statement.
The Australian Government Department of Immigration and Border Security, requires visa applicants over 18 to read and sign the Australian Values statement. This statement includes:
“Australian society values respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, Parliamentary democracy, equality of men and women and a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and compassion for those in need and pursuit of the public good. Australian society values equality of opportunity for individuals, regardless of their race, religion or ethnic background.“
With these being our stated collective values we should be committed to addressing any gender inequity it found. However not only is the government not addressing the pay equity imbalance, it is freezing steps established by the previous government to address gender equity. The child care industry is an obvious example of women’s work being undervalued and underpaid.
The federal government is poised to revoke pay increases of $3.00 and $6.00 per hour to workers in the child care industry. An industry made up of a predominately female workforce and one that looks after an important resource; the next generation of Australians. A child care worker with a Bachelor degree currently earns a meagre $42,000.00 per year; child care workers with a certificate IV just $38,000.00 per year. The ABS figures from May 2013 show Australia’s average full – time adult ordinary times earnings to be $1,422.70 per week which equates to $73,980.40 per annum.
So childcare workers are paid $35,980 less than the Australian average wage and a long way off what the average child care worker would earn even if they received the previously agreed wage increase. If the Government does renege on providing the child care industry with the 300 million dollars required to fund the increases it is clearly saying that gender equity and equal economic opportunity for women are not values held by Australia and its Government.
It would be easy to launch into a long dialogue regarding how equal pay and equal participation in the workforce for women would stimulate the economy. (As a side note Goldman Sachs JBWere in its 2009 research paper, ‘Australia’s Hidden Resource: The Economic Case for Increasing Female Participation’ demonstrated that closing the gap between male and female employment rates would boost the level of Australian GDP by an estimated 11%.) But the discussion we need to have is about values and the nation we want to live in.
In Australia we value our children having an education and not being in the workforce when they are 8 or 12 years old. We uphold this value even though children are a cheap source of labour as they still are in many third world nations. So why should the value of gender equity and a fair go for women be any different? Let’s talk to government, community and business leaders and whoever will listen about Australia living up to its own values statement.
Living up to our own stated values means that gender equity and economic security for women is not to be sacrificed for perceived short term financial gain. If you are a women or a man who believes women are entitled to a fair go as much as you it is time to make some noise. Shout from the roof tops, write a letter to your local member or better still go and visit them. Let them know that all Australians – including the 50% of the population who are women – deserve a fair go and equal pay. Because we deserve a society and government that respects and values equality for all.